Industry rallies to support Children’s Hospices UK

Spearheaded by ISE sales manager Ian Morrish (pictured), the initiative – which aims to bring the home cinema experience to terminally ill children – now has the support of more than 25 companies with links to the CI industry.

Spearheaded by ISE sales manager Ian Morrish (pictured), the UK hospices initiative – which aims to bring the home cinema experience to terminally ill children – now has the support of more than 25 companies with links to the CI industry.

As previously reported on IE Residential (more coverage here), Morrish’s ambitious scheme has already yielded a comprehensive-specified home cinema in a holiday home for terminally ill children, Donna’s Dream House, in Blackpool. Several more rooms are expected to be completed before the end of the year.

Specific project sites include the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), which is being equipped with a comprehensive multi-room home cinema, music gaming and internet installation, courtesy of Allan Boyd and Loud and Clear. Elsewhere, distributor Habitech and various manufacturers are supplying equipment for the installation of a single room home cinema at the Acorns in the Three Counties Hospice, Worcester, while Rayleigh Hi-FI has contributed to a similar project at the Little Haven Children’s Hospice.

Other projects include the Acorns in the Black Country Hospice in Walsall, which is being supported by Gary Mills at Decorum Technology. Morrish and team are currently seeking a variety of equipment to finish the project, and are keen to hear from anyone able to supply the following: a 2.5m motorised on-ceiling projection screen; a projector with ceiling mount and HDMI/composite inputs (1080P); a multi-media input plate; a wall-mounted enclosure rack (12U, three shelves); an IR matrix; a multi-programmable remote; a 100m speaker cable; and 3m and 5m HDMI leads.

While enthusiastically acknowledging the support of those companies who have already contributed to the scheme, Morrish is urging as many organisations in the CI business to lend their assistance, be it in the form of time, equipment or expertise.

“The severity of the disabilities means that many of these children have never visited a cinema, or if they have, then it will cost the hospice between £150 and £250 for every child, due to requirements such as disabled transport, carers and special arrangements with the cinema,” said Morrish. “That’s why it’s important to bring the cinema to the hospice. This scheme helps the children, and also their families, many of whom live at the Hospice with their child. Audio and visual stimulation is key for disabled children, and we are trying to create a room which acts as an extension of the sensory rooms that are normally found in hospices. I am overwhelmed with the amount of support already received in the early stages of this campaign, but now we need more help from within the industry to help create a wonderful experience to those who need it most. I urge everyone in the industry to join us – installers, manufacturers and distributors – and make a real difference. Our aim is to get a list together of companies who we can call upon when a new project arises.”

To become involved in the scheme, please contact Ian Morrish at ian (a) ad-con.demon.co.uk or telephone 01372 454366.